Prefabricated Structural Panel of Post-Stressed Wood for the Manufacture of Immovable Properties

Abstract

The present invention, in one embodiment, is directed to a prefabricated wooden panel comprised of: (a) a series of first elongated wooden means, each with mating faces, (b) a series of elongated reinforcement means, each located between a pair of the first elongated wooden means, (c) a series of perforations or through-holes that extend through the first elongated wooden means and elongated reinforcement means, (d) a series of tensioning means that each extend through one of the perforations, and (e) a series of pairs of first stress transmitting means with each member of a pair engaging an end of one of the tensioning means.

1 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) which comprises a series of first elongated wooden means ( 2 ), whose cross-sections have at least two opposite male ( 3 ) and female ( 4 ) faces of flat or any other suitable geometry, wherein the male face ( 3 ) of a first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) is assembled with the female face ( 4 ) of a corresponding first adjacent elongated wooden means; a series of first through perforations or through holes ( 5 ) that cross said male ( 3 ) and female ( 4 ) faces of each of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ), which generates a series of first common cavities ( 6 ) that connect each of said first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) when they are placed adjacent one to the other; a series of first tensioning means ( 7 ) correspondingly located inside said first common cavities ( 6 ), whose corresponding ends ( 8 ) are projected outside thereof; a series of corresponding pairs of first stress transmitting means ( 9 ) joined to the respective ends ( 8 ) of said first tensioning means ( 7 ) which contact the ends of said wooden panel ( 1 ) and transmit into said ends the force exerted by said first tensioning means ( 7 ), CHARACTERIZED in that: 
 said wooden panel further comprises a series of elongated reinforcement means ( 10 ) made of wood and/or other suitable material, which are provided with faces ( 11 ) and first holes or perforations ( 12 ) that coincide with those of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) and are located between some of the pairs of first adjacent elongated wooden means ( 2 ), wherein said elongated reinforcement means ( 10 ) have a bending strength essentially greater than that of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) with respect to the axis, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said first elongated wooden means ( 2 );    said series of first tensioning means ( 7 ) jointly with the series of corresponding pairs of first stress transmitting means ( 9 ) are conveniently dimensioned in order to exert a force between the corresponding male ( 3 ) and female ( 4 ) faces of each of the corresponding adjacent pairs of elongated means ( 2  with  10  or  2  with  2 ), which is sufficiently great so that the friction force generated between them prevents the relative movement between them, in order to obtain that said elongated means jointly behave as a collaborating structural panel.    
   
   
       2 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED in that the first tensioning means ( 7 ) are made of metal or other suitable material and in that the stress to which they are subjected is more reduced than their flow or permanent strain stress, although it is sufficiently high to permit their elastic behavior, in spite of the contractions and expansions suffered by the wooden panels ( 1 ) caused by changes in the humidity and room temperature.  
   
   
       3 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the cross-section of said male ( 3 ) and female ( 4 ) faces of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) may conveniently have an arrow point geometry, a flat surface or any other adequate geometry.  
   
   
       4 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that said pairs of first stress transmitting means ( 9 ) comprise plates made of metal ( 9   a ) or other suitable material, being supported on the end faces of said first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) located in the ends of said wooden panel ( 1 ) and joined by means of welding or other adequate means to said first tensioning means ( 7 ).  
   
   
       5 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any of  claims 1  to  3 , CHARACTERIZED in that said pairs of first stress transmitting means ( 9 ) comprise profiles made of metal or other suitable material, which have an “L”-shaped cross-section ( 9   b ) or another adequate section, being supported by means of one of their faces on the extreme faces of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) located in the ends of said wooden panel ( 1 ) and are joined by means of welding or other adequate means to said first tensioning means ( 7 ); the other face of these “L”-shaped metal profiles ( 9   b ) or other adequate section is supported on the side of the wooden panel ( 1 ).  
   
   
       6 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the series of first tensioning means ( 7 ) comprises at least six stress means which are located inside of at least six corresponding first common cavities ( 6 ).  
   
   
       7 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that each of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) is formed by one or more pieces of wood of equal or different dimensions, which are correspondingly joined one next to the other until they reach the total dimension of panel ( 1 ).  
   
   
       8 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the series of first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) are made of dry, treated wood, which makes them resistant to termites and other problems commonly affecting the wood and improves their resistance to humidity.  
   
   
       9 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the reinforcement means ( 10 ) may be made of wood, metal, polymers or other suitable materials.  
   
   
       10 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the geometry of the cross-sections of said first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) and the elongated reinforcement means ( 10 ) can be conveniently modified in order to vary the structural characteristics of the wooden panel ( 1 ).  
   
   
       11 . Prefabricated structural wooden panel ( 1 ) according to any to the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that said wooden panel ( 1 ) further comprises a series of second elongated wooden means ( 13 ) of analogous characteristics to those of the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ), together with a series of second tensioning means ( 14 ), having similar characteristics to those of the first tensioning means ( 7 ) and a series of pairs of second stress transmitting means ( 15 ), also with similar characteristics as those of the first stress transmitting means ( 9 ), wherein said series of elongated reinforcement means ( 10 ) comprises a series of second through holes or perforations ( 16 ), which are conveniently displaced with respect to the series of first perforations or holes ( 12 ), through which said second elongated wooden means ( 13 ) together with the series of second stress means ( 14 ) and the series of pairs of second stress transmitting means ( 15 ) are joined to the structure of said wooden panel ( 1 ), in a similar manner as that in which the first elongated wooden means ( 2 ) together with the series of first tensioning means ( 7 ) and the series of pairs of first stress transmitting means ( 9 ) are joined to the structure of the above mentioned wooden panel ( 1 ) through said first perforations ( 12 ).